Plasma processing apparatus and method of suppressing abnormal discharge therein

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by plasma generated by high-frequency power, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck that holds the workpiece by an electrostatic adsorption force;

a DC power supply that applies an electrostatic adsorption voltage to the electrostatic chuck;

a signal detector that detects a foresee signal that foresees occurrence of abnormal discharge in plasma; and

a controller that controls ESC leakage current based upon the foresee signal so as to suppress the occurrence of abnormal discharge,

wherein said signal detector includes a window-potential detector that detects a surface potential of an insulating transparent window provided in a chamber wall of the plasma processing apparatus, and

said foresee signal is detected by the signal detector as a characteristic of the detected surface potential.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said controller controls the electrostatic adsorption voltage.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said controller controls the high-frequency power.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said controller exercises control so as to lower the high-frequency power if the foresee signal is outside a prescribed range.

5. A method of suppressing abnormal discharge in plasma processing, said method comprising:

providing a plasma processing apparatus that processes a workpiece by plasma generated by high-frequency power;

applying an electrostatic adsorption voltage, which is supplied from a DC power supply, to an electrostatic chuck that holds a workpiece by an electrostatic adsorption force;

detecting a foresee signal that foresees occurrence of abnormal discharge in plasma; and

controlling ESC leakage current based upon the foresee signal so as to suppress the occurrence of abnormal discharge,

wherein said foresee signal is detected as a characteristic of a surface potential of an insulating transparent window provided in a chamber wall of the plasma processing apparatus.

6. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by plasma generated by high-frequency power, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck that holds the workpiece by an electrostatic adsorption force;

a DC power supply that applies an electrostatic adsorption voltage to the electrostatic chuck;

a signal detector that detects a foresee signal that foresees occurrence of abnormal discharge in plasma; and

a controller that controls ESC leakage current based upon the foresee signal so as to suppress the occurrence of abnormal discharge,

wherein said signal detector includes a current detector that detects leakage current flowing from said DC power supply to said electrostatic chuck, and

said foresee signal is detected by the signal detector as a characteristic of the detected leakage current.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said controller controls the electrostatic adsorption voltage.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said controller controls the high-frequency power.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said controller exercises control so as to lower the high-frequency power if the foresee signal is outside a prescribed range.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said controller controls to decrease absolute value of the electrostatic absorption voltage when said surface potential of the window falls outside a predetermined range.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said controller controls to decrease said high-frequency power followed by returning to the high-frequency power of a level of prior to the decrease thereof after elapse of a predetermined period of time.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said controller controls the absolute value of the electrostatic absorption voltage so as to return the electrostatic absorption voltage to a level of prior to the decrease thereof after elapse of a predetermined period of time.